The nightmare
by laulau cici
Summary: After almost drowning in the city of gold Riley is force to relive a night from his past. Will his friends be able to help or will they lose him in the process...
1. Chapter 1

_  
I had been sleeping when something woke me up. It was darkvery dark—and I  
heard someone yelling. I was still in the basement; I could tell just by the  
smell of it. It was cold. I heard someone coming down the stairs like he had  
so many times before, and again I tried to make myself as small as possible  
and stop my shivering. Then the door sprung open. There stood the man that  
constantly plagued my nightmares._

"You little brat!" He hissed, and grabbed me by the shirt and hurled me  
up the stairs. My hand hit something hard, and I could feel the blood start  
coming out of my hand and dripping on my pants. He dragged me into the  
bathroom where I saw the tub filled with water.  
I notice two things as he dunked me under: 

_One, the water was ice cold.  
Two, the water was turning red.  
Before I knew it, he had me under water. I couldn't breathe; black spots  
started to cover my vision as I struggled to get my head back over the  
surface. Just as the dizziness started to take over, he pulled me back out._

"You had enough?" He asked. I was too weak to answer, so I just looked  
at him and tried to calm my gasping breaths. "I see I'll have to  
discipline you some more." Before I could say anything, I was back under  
water again. Desperately trying to take breaths in, I began to notice that the  
water didn't even feel cold anymore. "Now have you learned your lesson?"  
I looked in to the man's eyes that were deprived of all emotion except hate, and he spoke again. "I think you have, but I'm having so much fun right now!" My head was in the water  
again, and I was drowning…

"No!"

Riley Poole shot up from his sofa so fast that he almost ended on the  
floor of his living room. He was shaking so hard that he couldn't think  
straight. He attempted to stand up, but his legs buckled underneath him and he  
sat down. He put his  
heard between his knees and tried to breath. He had to get his breathing in  
control, he was starting to panic and his brain was screaming, "Inhaler!"  
. He tried to get his thoughts straight, but he found that he couldn't move.  
He reached his hand out, hoping to find something to help. His hand touched  
something small and metallic, which he realized was his phone. He immediately  
dialed Ben's number, breathing unsteadily as his vision started to darken.

"Hello?" Riley heard a sleepy voice croak from the other end. Ben had  
been sleeping with his wife in his arms when he heard his cell phone ringing,  
and noticed that it was 3: 25 in the morning.

"Ben…I…need…your…help…" Ben heard his best friend struggling to  
breathe after every word, and instantly grew concerned.

"Riley, are you alright?" He said loudly, accidentally waking Abigail up.  
"Riley, I need you to take a breath now…"

"I can't…" Riley said, and then Ben heard the phone drop on the  
floor. Riley's labored breathing was all Ben could hear of his friend now.

"Ben, you…" Abigail asked, but never finished her questions she watched  
her husband run around the room looking for clothes.

"It was Riley," Ben said while getting dressed, "He sounds like he  
needs my help."

He started down the stairs, but was stopped by Abigail. "What do you mean  
'needs your help'?"

As Ben began to describe what had happened, Abigail lost all color that she  
had in her face.


	2. Chapter 2

The ride to Riley apartment was long and agonizing. He had tried to call Riley but the phone was busy and when he tried the home phone it would ring then go to the answering machine.

"Ben he'll be alright…" Abigail kept saying over and over again. But Ben only nodded not knowing what to think about this whole situation. So many questions where unanswered in his head-

What had happened to Riley to make him panic like that?

Was he alright?

Did it have something to do about the fact that he had not say one word since we had left the city of gold?

Before he know it they were in front of Riley home and everything inside him told him to go faster so without even looking behind to see if his wife was following he ran to the door opened it and when up the stair two at a time. He made it to the second floor in record time and he saw that all the lights were off in Riley's apartment.

Without even knocking he kicked the door and looked around. At first he didn't see anything in the early morning light but then he heard more then saw Riley on the floor next to the sofa. He ran to him and look down at his friend that was not breathing right and that looked sick.

"Riley open you eyes for me buddy…please" Ben said scared because there was no sing of movement coming out of his best friend body. "Abigail I need you to find his inhaler." Ben said then he returned to his best friend.

"…B…b…en?" Riley's small voice asked unsure.

"Ya, it's me." Ben said happily his friend was awake and somewhat aware of what was happening. "Riley you breathing okay?" Ben asked but then he heard Riley breathing quicken again, and saw Riley shaking his head no. "Abi…you coming?" He asked with an urgent voice.

"I can't find it Ben." She called from the bathroom.

"Riley?" He asked but then he saw that Riley was not focusing on him so he said, "You need to focus on me…" When Riley looked at Ben only then did he asked his question. "Where is your inhaler?" Riley looked confused then recognition came in his eyes and he said.

"In…m..my…roo…m" It took him four breath to say this small sentence and that scared living shit out of Ben.

"It's in his room…" Then looking back down he asked "Where in your room?"

"O..on…de…ss..k…" was all he said before his eyes rolled to the back of his head.

"It's on his desk and hurry he lost conciseness again." He looked down at Riley and saw that he looked so very small and young and that made him want to protect him more then ever…

"Here…" Abigail gave him the inhaler before kneeling down next to Ben, Ben put it inside Riley's mouth hoping that it would help his little friend breath again.


	3. Chapter 3

"Common breath it in buddy…" After what felt like the longest time ever Riley took in a breath of the inhaler…after five minutes his breathing became normal. "That was too close for comfort." Ben said looking at Abigail who looked deep in thought. "Something brothering you?" He asked and then could have kick himself when the question came out.

"I don't know if you realized what just happened here Ben?" She asked and then looked down at Riley and put a hand on his forehead. "He's burning up we should get him to his room and get his fever down." Abigail said before getting up and walking over to the kitchen seeking for some Tylenol to bring the fever down.

"Well up you go Riley." Ben said, he carried Riley's limp form to the room and putting him down gently not wanting to hurt him anymore then he already was. "Man you lost some weigh there kiddo." Ben said to his sleeping friend. Man he wished Riley was a wake to tell him that he was not a kid or that he was okay…man what would he give to see his smile again because these days that was a rare thing.

"How is he doing?" Ben wife asked, in her hand she had a bottle of water, Tylenol and thermometer.

"Well he has not said much." Ben said with sad smile. Abigail could tell that he was very worried and that was making her heart swell, she looked down at her little friend and placed the thermometer in his ear waiting for the beep, when the beep came she looked at it and almost fell backward.

"Oh my god…" She said and was meet by Ben scared look…"He has a temperature of a 103.7" She explained then she removed the blankets that Ben had placed on Riley and said "We need to get that temperature down now because if we don't it could get bad." She said and then move the shirt that was pretty wet because of the sweat that covert Riley's body.

It was dark I was in the basement again…….he caries me upstairs my hand……I'm wet?….I'm cold?….?

Riley opened his eyes and looked around terrified that his nightmare was coming true and that his dad was back and that he was drowning him like he had so many times before…"No!" he heard someone saying and it took him along time to realize that he was the one taking.

"Riley you have to calm down…" A voice that sounded very familiar to Riley kept saying over and over again…."We are trying to help you just let us help…"

"Don't hurt me please I'll be good…I'll be good…"Riley pleaded thought the tears and the cold water that was all around him.

"Ben we have to get him to the bath we have to get the fever down because the Tylenol is not working, I'll go turn the water on…" She was gone and left Ben to carry Riley to the bathroom…Riley didn't move when we first put him in and then he started to fight and that scared them.

"No!" he shivered trying to push our hands away he opened his eyes and we saw terror that was embedded inside.

"Riley you have to calm down…" Ben said but that didn't help he kept fighting. What he said next broke our heart.

"Don't hurt me please I'll be good…I'll be good…" Riley said through his tears and with that all the fight was gone out of him and he fell limp in the water.


	4. Chapter 4

The last thing that broke Ben was hearing his best friend beg him not to hurt him, he looked at his wife and pleaded with his eyes wanting to know why this was happening. "I don't know, Ben." Abigail answered the unasked question. "But I think we got his temperature close to normal again so let's get him out." Ben nodded not trusting his voice right now.

After they had Riley dressed in warm dry clothes and put in bed it was 7:12am and Ben and Abigail were both tried from what had been a very long early morning.

"How is he?" Ben asked as he saw that his wife taking Riley's temperature.

"He is better his temperature is 100.2 it's still a little high but it's much better." The with a sigh she said "The good news is that he is out of the danger zone." She said with a sad smile.

"Well now all we have to do is hope that he'll wake up soon and tell us what all this was about..." Ben said and then looked down thinking about what Riley had said when they were trying to get his temperature down in the bathroom. "what do you think he saying when he said don't hurt me?" Ben asked while gently running hand through Riley's short hair.

"I don't know he could have been hallucinating that's common with a fever that high." Abigail said while looking sadly down at her sick friend.

"Yeah but he was fine when we got out of the cave and drove him home. So where could he had gotten sick I mean you just don't…" Ben was cut off by someone moaning; when he looked down he saw that Riley was trying to open his eyes but couldn't do so. "Riley?" Ben asked a moan was the only answer that Ben was given. "Common buddy open your eyes for me." Riley's eyes cracked open a little and then closed very quickly after that. "Riley…" Ben asked yet again.

"I'm working on it Ben." A voice croak sounding a little annoyed but it was music to Ben's ears because Riley had said almost nothing since Ben and Abigail had arrive at his apartment.

"Well I guest he still here-well a least his sarcastic-ness is still here." Ben said happily.

"Anyway how are you felling Riley?" Abigail asked him. Riley opened his eyes realizing that she was here too.

"Well I could be better if my stomach didn't fell so sick and my head was not killing me," Riley said, when he tried to remember what had happened and he couldn't he decided to ask his friends. "Can I ask a question?" He asked Ben and his wife when they were both looking at him he continue, "What happened?"

"You don't remember?" Ben asked looking at him as if he was lying.

"Well if I'm asking I probably don't remember what happened. You know or I would not be asking." He replied Ben's dump question. When neither of them spoke he asked, "Are you going too answer or should I start guessing?"

"You really don't remember?" When Riley gave him the look Ben told Riley what had happened this morning, Ben told Riley everything except the bathroom scene.

"Wow…and how come I don't remember anything?" They all stayed silent for a moment taking everything that had happened this morning, when suddenly Riley had this feeling that you know something bad happened but you can remember it, then it hit him.

_**Its**__** dark…the basement…"you had enough?"…the cold water…ice cube…can't breath… eyes deprive of all emotion except hate…"I think you have but I'm having so much fun right now…"…it was cold and dark…can't breath…please help me…**_

"Riley you okay?" Ben's distance voice asked. Riley looked up and saw that both Abigail and Ben were looking.

"Yeah just tired and confused I guess…" Riley lied (somewhat) he was confused and tired but that was not all he was feeling right now.

"Why don't you get some sleep and when you'll wake up I'll have some food ready." Abigail said with a smile that made him fell safe and loved.

"Yeah I think I'm going to do just that." Riley said before he closed his eyes to get some sleep.

"Sleep well kiddo." Was the last thing that Riley heard, he smile not having the strength to tell Ben that he was not a kid.

**So what do you think? I hope you guys like it…I'm sorry that I'm not the best speller but English is not my first language and I'm still learning but I'll work on it…**

**Laulau cici **


	5. Chapter 5

"Why didn't you tell him about what happened in the bathroom?" Abigail asked as htey exited the room.

"I didn't think he needed to know." Ben said simply. He moved to the kitchen and looked inside the fridge because he was hungry. "Why doesn't he have any good food…" Ben asked while looking inside, "No wander he is so skinny." He said loud enough so that only him could hear.

"I'm sure he has some good …" She was cut short when she saw the inside of the fridge. "Okay maybe you're right…I think I'm going to go home and get food and a change of clothes for us." Before leaving she looked back and asked, "You going to be alright?"

"Ya, we'll be fine don't worry about it." The door closed and Abigail was gone leaving Ben with a sleeping Riley.

Three months later

It has been three month since Riley gotten sick. They never had talked about what had happened in the bathroom, because they almost all forgotten about it…almost all…because Ben could not forgot the terrified look in his best friends eyes and the pleads that had echoed throughout the bathroom.

"Hey Ben are you okay?" Abigail asked from the kitchen.

"Yeah just thinking." Then putting his book down he moved from the living room to the kitchen. "So are you cooking anything good?" He asked his wife after placing a gentle kiss on her forehead.

"Well that depends what you are hungry for." She said turning around and returning to her cooking. "But today I'm making chicken, bean and potatoes." She said.

"Sound good to me honey…" Ben was about to leave the kitchen when she asked.

"Did you invite Riley?"

"Yeah he should be here in twenty minutes." Ben said and then called over his shoulder. "I'm going to take a shower before eating." Ben said while going up the stairs.

Riley Poole shut the door making sure it was locked before going down the stair to where is car was parked. He had been invited to Ben's and Abigail's for super and was looking forward to it because he had been really busy because of work to really eat a good meal or almost anything at all.

He got in his car while he was holding the wheel a wave of dizziness hit him. After it passed he started the car and got on the road. He lived about teen minutes from his friends' house (if there was no traffic).

These pass month had been really hard for him because he kept having nightmares about his childhood, that had been hell on earth. When he had been a kid he had always thought that he deserved what he had gotten from his dad, but now, as an adult was not too sure. When he saw his friends' house he pulled over to the side of the road. He shut the engine and took a deep calming breath to pull himself together. After sitting in his car for a minute, he pulled the car back on the road and drove up the driveway.

"Hey there Riley, we thought that you had forgotten." Abigail said while opening the door for Riley.

"How could I forget about this you've been telling me that I was invited everyday for the pass week." Riley said with a forced smile.

"Is Riley here?" Ben asked from the kitchen doorway.

"Yeah I'm here Ben." Riley responded.

"Good because I'm starving." Ben said then they all sat around the table.

They eat in silent, which was not normal for them, but everyone seemed to be lost in thoughts. After eating Ben told Abigail that he would do the dishes and Riley said that he would help.

"So how have you been?" Riley asked because he could not stand the silence anymore.

"Good…busy but good." Ben said while washing a plate. "You?"

"Oh…I've been good tired…but good." After that the silence was back. Ben had been handing Riley a plate when he saw a scar on his hand that he had never notice before.

"Hey how did you get that scar on you hand?" Ben asked pointing at Riley's left hand.

"What?" Riley asked because he had not heard what Ben had just said.

Pointing at Riley's hand he asked again, "Where did you get the scar on your hand?" Riley looked down and saw the scar on the bottom of his left hand, "Oh that…that's nothing…" Riley said a little too quickly.

"Common how did you get it?" Ben asked again while washing his hand. When Riley didn't answer Ben asked again. "Common it can be that bad, right?"

"I was a clumsy child…what can I say, I fall on it and cut it open." Riley lied and he was sure that Ben had not believe him.

Before Ben could answer Abigail came in. "I see you guys are done, so are you guys ready for dessert?"

"Yeah that sounds good, but I think I going to on a walk first." Riley said before leaving the kitchen.

"What is wrong with him?" Abigail asked her husband as they heard the front door close.

"I don't know, but I think I'm going to go too." With that Ben left the house to look for Riley.

It took him teen minutes to find where Riley that was sitting against a tree with his eyes closed. Not wanting to startle him he called. "Hey Riley you awake?" The respond only he got was Riley's eyes opening. Ben sat down next to his friend not knowing what to say. "Beautiful day isn't it?" What was he doing taking about the weather! He thought, mad at himself because that was not the way to get Riley to open up to him.

"Yeah it's perfect." Riley said without even opening his eyes. "So I guess there is a reason to why you followed me out here, right?" Riley asked.

"How did you get that scar?" Ben asked again. Riley sighed and opened his eyes looking at anything but at Ben.

"You're not going to drop it are you?" Riley asked.

"No." The younger man nodded. "So are you going to tell me or do I have to start guessing."

Riley was quiet for a moment, and then he said in a very small voice without looking at Ben. " I was six when it started…"


	6. Chapter 6

_Riley was quiet for a moment, and then he said in a very small voice without looking at Ben. " I was six when it started…"_

"My mom divorced my dad when I was still a baby. However he never stop trying to get some custody over me, but my mom would always tell him that she was not going to let her kid near him not now not ever, and of course he was not happy about that. So one day he decided to drop by…" Riley said and while he was telling the story he never once looked once at Ben.

_**Flashback**_

"Hey honey what are you doing?" My mom asked coming up behind me. I looked down and then grinned showing her what I had worked on for a long time. "That is beautiful baby." I had made a picture out of crayons, it had taking me along time to do it because I had picked out all that color to make it right. She gave me a gentle kiss on the forehead and then looked at the window. "What the…" Then there was a knock on the door and when I looked up I saw a big man standing in the doorway.

This man had green eyes, long black hair and was very big and strong looking. He moved closer to the kitchen table that I was working on but was stopped by my mom. "What are you doing here?" She asked and I could tell by her voice that she was scared and mad, but I didn't know why.

"I'm here to see my son." He pushed mom out of the way and stood there in front of me looking down at me and then smiled. "Hello there son…" Then looking down at the table he saw the picture and asked, "What are you working on?"

"A…a picture…sir…" I said with a small voice he picked up the picture and looked at it then he smiled.

"Not only does he have my eyes he also has my drawing skills." He said looking at my mom.

"John, could we please talk about this outside?" My mom asked.

With one last look at me he said, "Sure." Then they both left the room and went outside. After they had left I jump out of the chair and went to the window looking outside to where my mom and this man where standing talking…no yelling at each other.

"How many times do I have to tell you that I don't want you around my son?" My mom asked.

"Well if you would give me a chance I could be a good father…" The man said and then my mom laugh even though nothing was funning.

"A good father? Will you be as good as a father as you were a husband?" She said and then I saw the man's hand go up in the air and then slapped my mom in the face.

"You deserved all that you got." He said and now I could tell that he was mad at my mom and that scared me, even though I could not understand what they were talking about.

"You are not getting your filthy on my son, and you show up here again I will called the cops, and don't get me wrong I will do it." My mom said after getting inside and locking the door she slid down the wall and buried her head in her hands.

"Mom…" I asked unsure.

"Riley baby…you all right?" She asked me when I nodded she extended her arms to me and I took the invitation. "Honey listen to mommy okay." Only after I looked up did she continued. "That was a naughty man out there and if you ever see him I want you to get a adult or get away okay baby…this is important….please tell me that you promise that you will not let this man near you?" She was crying now and I was at a lost to why, had I done something wrong or was she scared like me. No my mommy can be scared, I thought.

"Yes mommy I promise." I said then curled up in my mom's arm's and felt her heart beat that had put me to sleep so many time and once again fell asleep to the music of my mom's heart beat.

_**End of flashback**_

There was only silence when Riley stopped talking. The Ben looked at his friend and saw that Riley had tears in his eyes. "I was so scared and there was nothing I could do…I felt totally useless…" Ben could not think of one thing to say so he just listened as Riley continued talking about what had happened when he was a little boy,


	7. Chapter 7

"It had been some time since my 'dad' had visited my mom and me. We had not really talked about it because I think we were both trying to forget about it. I had been walking from school one day when he showed up again." Riley said with much emotion in his voice.

Flashback

I liked walking home from school because it gave me time to think about what had happened at school and what was I was going to do foe the rest of the day. I had been skipping and counting the cracks in the sidewalk when I heard footsteps behind me. I looked around expecting to see someone there, but when I saw nobody I shrugged and continued walking home. As I continued walking again I heard footsteps behind me but this time I was too late. Before I knew it I was hit on the head and engulfed in darkness…

Why is it so dark? I thought, and why can't I move? So many questions were going through my head. After three tries I got my eyes open and when I looked up I saw that I was lying in a very small space, it took me a while to realize that I was in a trunk of a car, because I could feel that we were moving. Suddenly the car seemed to stop, and then I heard footsteps walking on the gravel. Before I could do anything the trunk was opened and in front of was the man that would plague all my nightmares, my dad.

"Well I see that you are awake, this should be fun." He said before grabbing me by the arm and dragging me inside a very old looking house. After he opened the door he throw me on the floor and kicked me in the ribs and head until I blacked out. The last thing I heard was his laugh and him repeating that this would be fun.

The next time I woke up I was alone in a dark room. I sat up felling very achy and dirty. When I looked around I saw that there were no windows and the only way out of this room was a door that was located at the top of a flight of stair. And that's when I realized that I was in a basement

I had been a while since I had woken up and by now I was crying and shivering because of the cold wind that was coming in by the holes in the wall. I heard something and when looked up I saw that the door was opening and there at the top of the stairs was my dad with an evil smile on his face.

"You ready to play with me?" He asked, before I could answer he hit me on the side of the face. "You know that they are not even looking for you?" He said while pushing me against the wall and holding me there. "They don't care about you."

"Ye…s..th..ey..dd..o…" I said while coughing. That comment got me an other kick in my ribs.

"NO! They don't and the only person who cares is me. Because now that your mom is dead there is no one to care for you" He said and with one last kick he pushed me down and left me they bleeding on the cold basement floor.

End of Flashback

Once again Riley's voice faded into silence. Ben was shock and could no think of one single thing to say.

"How…how long were you there with that monster?" Ben asked gently barely getting the words out.

"I don't know exactly but I think I was there for one month or so." Riley said. Ben could tell from where he was sitting that Riley was shivering and he knew that it was not from the cold.

"Riley you don't have to continue if you don't want to." Ben said looking at this best friend who still would not look at him.

"No I have to." And then he continued….

Flashback

Everyday he would come down to the basement and beat me up and every time I would try to stop him but I was to little to do anything. He would give me some food once in a while but not enough for me to live on for too long. The hunger was gone, the pain was almost gone, and the tears had been cried out a long time ago but my dad was still here.

I had been sleeping when something woke me up. It was dark very dark (it was always dark), I heard someone yelling, I was still in the basement I could just tell by the smell of it and because it was cold too cold, then I heard someone coming down the stairs like he had so many times and again I tried to make myself very little and tried to stop my shivering. Then the door sprung open and there stood the man that plagued all my nightmares.

"You little brat…" he hissed with that he grabbed me by the shirt and hurled me up the stairs my hand hit something hard and I could fell the blood coming out of my hand and dripping on my pants. I was dragged into the bathroom where I saw a tube and in the tube I could see water. Before I knew it he had put me in the water.

I notice three things as he dipped me in the water.

One the water was ice cold

Two the water was filed with ice cube

Three the water was turning a reddish color

Before I knew it he had me under water I was trying to get back to the surface because I could not take a breath however hard I tried and black spots were starting to cover my vision, finely when I thought I was going to pass out and die he lifted me up and slapped me on the face

"you had enough?" I was too weak to answer so I just looked at him and let the tears- that were now mixed with the cold water be my answer- "I see I have to discipline you some more.." before I could say anything I was back under water and again trying to take in a breath… he did that for what felt like ever…he kept doing it for so long that I was not even cold anymore…

"Now have you learned your lesson?" I looked in to the man's eyes that were deprive of all emotion except hate…"I think you have but I'm having so much fun right now…" and with that he dipped me in again… 'You thought you could just get away with what you did?" He asked as he dipped me in the ice-cold water again.

"W…wh..a..t..t….a…re…you…t….t..alking…a..ab..bout.." I asked trough my shivers.

"You know what I'm talking about you called them…didn't you?" He asked shaking me, "Answer me stupid kid….did you?" He hit me on the side of the heard and dropped me in the water…the last thing I heard was the door being forced open and someone saying… "This is the police put the kid down…put the kid down…" Then everything went black around me.

**_Ididn't have enough time to write anything else becaue i had to go to biology and i was already late...sorry laulau cici_**


	8. Chapter 8

Riley still had not looked at Ben and Ben could see the tears that were in his eyes and refusing to fall

Riley still had not looked at Ben and Ben could see the tears that were in his eyes and refusing to fall. He didn't move not knowing what to do.

"Hey Riley can I asked you a question?" Ben asked a little uneasily. When Riley nodded still not looking at him he asked, "What happened to your father?" Ben saw Riley stiffen and wished that he had not asked the question.

"He was sent to prison for ten years. And now I don't know where he is or what he does." Riley said and this time he let the tears fall down.

"Riley what happened after the police came in?" Ben asked he needed to know in order to help his friend.

"They help me out I was not. . .breathing and they had to sent me to the hospital. . .i was there for three months recovering and after that I was sent to a boys home until I was 18. . ." All that had happened to Riley. . .his best friend and he had never know about it, then it hit him why had Riley been sent to a boys home when he had his mom.

"Riley. . ." He tried again, "Riley. . .where was your mom?" Ben asked and that what brought Riley over the edge. Riley started sobbing and Ben did the only thing he could think of he took Riley in his arms. He could feel the pain of so many years coming out so he just held on and let the storm pass, between the sobbing and tears he heard Riley saying

"She killed herself. . .well that what the police thinks but I know that he killed her because he told me that he had done it." He said after many tries and even then it was hard to understand him but Ben got it.

They stayed in each other arms for a while and then Riley moved out of Ben's arms and looked down at his hand where the scar was still showing after so many years. He knows that however hard he can try to forget it, he knows that those painful weeks will always be in his memory because of this scar on his hand that will maybe fade but never really go away.

"Hey you alright?" Ben asked and he knew it was a stupid question and then seeing that Riley didn't need to talk about this again he asked, "You wanna go back inside and get some dessert I think Abigail made your favorite." With a small smile Riley got up and walk with Ben to the house. He knew that it was not the end but he also knew that he could make it with his friends help.

As Riley and Ben walked to the house little, but did they know that soon their life would become a struggle for their life. . .because he is still out their but waiting for the right time.

**I'm so sorry that I waited so long to update but I was too busy to do it, hope you like it sorry it's so short**


	9. Chapter 9

**Here's chapter 9 hope you guys like it**

_**As Riley and Ben walked to the house little did they know that soon their life would become a struggle for their life. . .because he is still out their but waiting for the right time**_.

It had been three weeks since the heart to heart talk that Riley and Ben had. Riley had been better but he was still scared, to be alone and he still had nightmares, but he never told Ben about them because Ben had already did so much for him.

It was a very sunny afternoon and Riley Pole was reading on a bench outside of his apartment. This book was not interesting at all but he was bored because he had nothing else to do because Ben and Abigail had decided to go on a vacation for a week because they had never really had a honeymoon and this was a good time, but before Ben had left he had told Riley that he could call him anytime if he needed them for anything. But even though that Riley had nodded he knew that he would not call because that would just be rude and he didn't want his friend to be annoyed with him because he was scared and needed some comfort.

He turned his attention back to the book but for some reason he could not concentrate on the words and the book was not making any sense. Riley had been so preoccupied that he never heard the man that took a seat next to him.

"Hey son. Can I sit here." Riley looked up and saw a man that looked in his forties if not older.

"Sure." Riley said before returning to his book trying to ignore the man that had just seated himself by Riley.

"Beautiful day isn't it?" The man asked looking up at the sky and then looked down smiling. He had a weird accent when he talk and Riley was trying to figure where he had heard it before.

"Yeah, it sure is." Riley said not looking up. Riley thought that it was weird that this man was talking to him when they had never met one another.

"So what's your name?" he asked and that when Riley got uncomfortable because it was not everyday that he would have a conversation with a stranger, and even if he did they never talked about anything but weather.

"Hum. . ." Riley thought because he was not ready to tell him his name. "I'm Robert, you?" Riley lied.

"Nice to meet you Riley, I'm John." Riley shook his hand but then it clicked. How did he know my name I never told him? But before Riley could asked anything he felt something cold against his side and when he looked down he saw a gun that was now pointing at his back so that no one could see it except Riley and this man.

"What. . .?" Riley asked panicking.

"Don't say or do anything, okay?" After Riley had nodded he continued. "We are going to walk to your apartment without alerting anyone's attention." Riley nodded again then made their way to Riley's apartment. He opened the door and was pushed in and then they walked to the door that had a big number 4, then Riley opened it and they got in. the man moved around trying to see if there was anyone inside. When he saw that it was safe only did he remove the gun that was still pointing at Riley.

He moved around the room he first closed and locked the door and then he brought a chair from the kitchen and placed it in front of Riley.

"Sit. . ." Was all he said before he continued to looked for something. After several minutes he came out with about five of Riley work ties, then he tied Riley down and only then did he looked up and smiled at Riley.

"Well you sure changed a lot you are not that weak kid you use to be." He said with an evil smile and then it all made sense,. _"Nice to meet you Riley, I'm John."_ my dad's name was John how could I have not see it? I should have know, who else would know my name. Well maybe because I'm a treasure hunter that only found the biggest treasure and the city of gold. _Whatever, no one know me they all know Ben because he is the real treasure hunter not me._ Riley thought to himself but was brought back to reality when he felt a harp pain run across his face.

"Answer me when I talk to you. You hear?" And that earned him another slapped across the face. "Well anyway it's time for my plan." _Plan_, he sounds like a villain from one of those cartoons.

He most have seen the looked that Riley gave him because he said, "Yes I have a plan and it's going to be so much fun. Well for me anyway." He went inside the kitchen and crabbed a chair and placed it in front of Riley. "You see, I went to prison because I hurt you but it was for your own good. You know, you would never be who you are today if not for me and my discipline."

"You think you helped me!!" Riley said in horror. "Kidnapping me, starving me, scaring me, hitting, kicking and holding me under water until I could not breath all, were ways to help me? How?" Riley asked he was shaking but this time it was not from fear but from the anger because of what this man had done to him when he was younger.

"Well when you put it that way." He said with a smile that proved that this man should not be walking the streets but put in mental institute. "Well anyway it was fun for me." He smiled and Riley was sure that his dad was reliving what had happened those days, weeks that he had been with him. "Well anyway my plan is simple but I'm missing several things that I need, the first things I need are your friends. . ." He said.

"What? They have nothing to do with this . . . please don't bring them into this." Riley begged. He didn't want his friends here or them to see what would happened.

"oh, they have something to do with this because you made the mistake to tell them about what happened." He said and then looked up as though deep in thoughts. Then looked back down and smiled again, "Man, this is going to be fun." He put his hands in Riley pockets and when he found what he was looking for he showed it to Riley and Riley looked down at his phone praying that they would not answer.

It had been three day since Ben and Abigail had left for a vacation. Ben had been really uneasy about leaving Riley by himself so early because Ben could tell that even though he would tell them deferent he was not okay and getting worst. The lack of food and sleep was started to show in his eyes and on his body. And the worst was that even though he had told him to call if need anything Ben knew that he would never call because he was too nice to do anything to bother them especially on vacation.

They had been sitting around the pool that was located at their hotel when Ben's cell started to ring. He answered after looking at the caller id.

"Hey Riley." There was no answer so he tried again. "Is everything alright?"

"Ben you have to come home I . . . need you . . . I don't know what to do." _Was riley crying?_ Ben thought.

"Hey there calm down and explain me what is happening." He heard his friend taking a deep breath; he would always do that when he would try to control his breathing.

"I had a nightmare and I don't know what to do." Riley said and before Ben could say anything he saw that Abigail was standing next to him trying hard to hear what was going on.

"Okay tell me about this nightmare." But then Ben hear something that was off and he knew that he needed to go home now because Riley was not alone at his apartment because of the noise that Ben could hear in the back ground. But before Riley could say anything else Ben asked. "Riley who's with you now?"

There was a pause and then they both heard Riley whispering two words, "My dad." And after that Riley started yelling, "don't come back okay I would never forgive myself if something happened to you two so please stay away and don't call the police. . ." But the rest of his speech was cut short by his dad slapping him.

"If you don't come or call the police he'll . . . well use your imagination." His dad said before cutting the connection. They both looked at each other and decided that it was time to go home. After packing and checking out they were in the car and riding back to home hoping that they will not be too late to save their friend.

**There you go hope you guys like it and sorry for taking so long. . . well tell what you think**

**Laulau cici**


	10. Chapter 10

**Sorry it took me so long i had to work full time all summer and then school started, but here you go hope you like it.**

"So you think that your friends are going to show?" My dad asked me, he was standing in front of me with a knife that was now colored with my blood. All I did was look at him with hatred because that was all he deserved from me. "Oh now son I thought that you had learned the lesson about answering me when I asked you something, was all he said before he embedding the knife in my left arm.

"Are you sure about this Ben?" Abigail asked her husband when they were in front of the apartment were Riley lived.

"He's my best friend of course I sure of this, now remember if I am not out in thirty minutes you know what to do." She nodded and then kissed her husband like if it was the last time that they would ever see each other.

"Be careful and bring Riley back." And with Ben was walking to the door and as Abigail was driving away. Ben ran up the stairs scared of what he would find. When he had heard Riley being slapped on the phone that had felt like a punch in the gusts, and he really happened that nothing worst had happened.

When he was on the floor that Riley and this other old woman lived on he stopped to see if he could hear anything, when he didn't he walked to the door and tried to open it. The door was unlocked.

My dad had left me there bleeding on the chair for what he called a lunch break. It was amazing how much hate you could have against one person and yet you love them so much. I had been trying to remember a time where my dad had not been abusive when I saw the door opening. At first I saw no one and then I saw that it was the tall and figure of my best friend. I shook my head at him wanting him to leave now because I was afraid of what might happen when my dad would realize that he was there, but he didn't listen and ran to me.

"Oh god what did he do to you?" He whispered looking up and down my body trying not to touch me where I was hurt or bleeding.

"Ben you have to go now because if he sees you he . . ." I never finished my sentence because someone else did.

"I might hurt you." My dad's voice said form behind me

"What do you want form me?" Ben asked stranding up but not before giving me a reassuring pat on the leg.

"Well I don't want anything form you but it looks like you want something I have." He said pointing at me.

"Well can I get him back?" Ben asked stupidly.

"No I think that I will keep him." Seemingly that was not the answer that Ben wanted because he was getting redder and redder in the face. "By the way where were we?" He asked me and then smiled. "Oh ya I remember." He said hitting me in the face. Apparently Ben didn't like that because he charged at him and now they were rolling on the ground hitting each other. The fighting had been going on for a while and neither of them were really wining. When I heard the unmistakable sound of police cars getting closer.

"You called them?" My dad yelled in anger hitting Ben in he face.

"No I didn't but someone I know did." Ben said hitting him with his fist right in the nose. I could heard people running up the stair but it seemed like my dad did too so he pushed Ben off him and ran to one of the bags that he had brought and took out something that looked way to much like a gun. Just as the door was open there was only one shoot that was heard through the whole apartment building.


	11. Chapter 11

**here you guys go hpe you like it**

**Laulau cici**

Everything was in a blur I could not remember what had happened because I was confused and rocking . . . rocking? I opened my eyes that had been closed and looked around to see that I was in an ambulance. "He's coming around." I heard one of the person that was standing around saying. "Sir?" The man looked like he was in his thirties. "do you know you name?" I thought about that one but I could not think straight so I could not even remember my own name. "Do you remember what happened?" Again I shook my head because I didn't know.

"He most have a concussion, and a bad one." I heard a female voice saying and that was all I heard before returning in the darkness and confusion that I had just left.

When I woke up next I saw tat I was in a white room and it took me a while to realize that I was in a hospital room and that there was a chair that was occupied by Abigail that was sleeping in it. I tried calling her name but no sound came out and it took me three times before a small call came out.

"Abi?" I saw that her head came up and there were signs of relieve and happiness in her smile.

"You're awake." She walking to me, then she let one of her hand grab one of mine.

"what happened?" I asked because I could not remember what had happen but I knew that something bad had happen.

"Ben . . . Riley was . . ." but I was not listening because I had just remembered something; One sound of one gunshot was all that I had heard and I was pretty sure that Riley had received that bullet.

"How is he?" I asked hoping that I was wrong.

"Not good Ben he was tortured and he was shoot the doctor think that he is going to recover physical but they don't know about he's mental heath." She said without looking at me but at the floor.

"Can I see him?" I asked starting to push myself up.

"Honey you were beat up and . . ." She most have seen the determination in my eyes because she said that she was going to go get the doctor.

"You better be alright." I whisper into the room hoping that my best friend could hear me.

After the doctor had said that I could go he reminded that if I started to feel disorientated that I should call someone and that they would come and get me. When I entered the room where Riley was laying pale and not moving. When I got closer I saw he had a lot of tube all over his body, and they made him look so small and weak, with things that he was not in reality. "Hey buddy you mind opening your eyes, for me?" I asked but he never moved as if he had not heard me. "I need to know that you are alright because your are my friend and who would come with me on these crazy quest if you die?" I chuckled because I knew that no one else would. After pulling a chair to his bedside I sat down and kept watch hoping that he would wake up soon.

It has been four days since we got to the hospital, and I had been discharge but Riley had not woken up yet. The doctor said that he might be giving up because his conditions were getting worst and they were pretty sure that he was in a coma, and he might never walk up again was what one of the doctor had said. I never believed it because he is Riley and Riley never gave up.

"Hey you gonna wake up and prove those doctors wrong?" I questioned and then when there was no answer I knew that he was not waking up anytime soon. I had decided that I would go to get some café because I was hungry but I was scared that if I was gone too long something would happen and I didn't want that to happen.

"What can I get you?" The lady in the cafeteria asked me.

"Just a café." I said and after paying I when back up to the room. But I was on the floor where Riley was kept I knew that something was wrong. There were loud beeps that were rezoning all over the floor and people dresses in white coats were running into Riley's room. I dropped my café and ran too.

The door was open so I could see that Riley was not moving and there was not sign of life to be seen. "Charge. Clear . . ." they repeated that same thing over and over again until one of the doctor declared sadly. "Time of death . . ."

"No!" was all I could scream before sliding down the wall that was across from the room.


	12. Chapter 12

I could not believe that he was gone . . . dead and that there was nothing that I could do about it. "Damn it!" I said blinded by the tears. He was my best friend; he was my only friend that never gave up on me, until now.

As I looked at the doctors that were in Riley's room staring at him . . . no at Riley's body that was now deprive of the life that had always been there for as long as I had known him.

I looked at the white ceiling and closed my eyes. "Hey God I could use your help right about now. I know that its been years since we have not been in speaking terms but I need you now more then ever so if you bring Riley back I will do anything you want me to please. Give him back." I said and then let my head fall in my hands.

I don't know how I was there sitting on the ground not thinking, but after some time I heard someone yelling.

"Doctor! Doctor!" I was assuming that it was a nurse. "I have a pulse, but he is still not breathing."

"What?!" The doctor yelled running inside the room and closing the door. I had not idea what had just happened but I knew that it had not been the doctor's doing. I looked at my hands, not sure what I was supposed to do.

"So he is going to be okay right?" I asked the doctor that was standing in front of me while I was holding Riley's warm hand.

"We will not be totally sure until he wakes up, there might be brain damage because he went so long without oxygen but right now the odds for him." As the doctor walked out of the room I heard him muttering. "I have never seen this before."

I smiled and looked at Riley that had a little more color to his face. "Hey buddy you want to wake up for me? I really miss you and your whining." I said after taking a seat still holding his hand.

It had been three days since Riley had 'died' if you want to call it that. And three days since the doctors have been telling me that he is getting better. The doctor even told me that he should be awaking up anytime time.

"Hey Riley how about you wake up for me? What do you say?" I asked him for the millionth time, when he didn't I walked to the window and looked out of it. The parking lot was full with all kinds of cars, and I could see people walking in and out of the hospital. I closed my eyes again and prayed.

"Hey it's me again and I was wandering if you could tell Riley to wake up. I am getting really bored talking to myself. You know? So you think you can help out again?"

"Who are you talking to?" I heard a weak raspy voice coming from the bed asking. I turned around so fast that I got light headed. There laying on the bed staring at me with his bleu eyes was Riley. Riley was awake and talking.

Sorry it took so long to add another chapter I was really busy but I hope that you all like it. And by the way I could never let Riley die . . . laulau cici


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